How Shipping Works
Cabinets are big, heavy things. Shipping them is not like ordering a shirt. Here is everything you need to know before your order ships.
Your Cabinets Ship by Freight Truck
A kitchen's worth of cabinets can weigh several hundred pounds and takes up a lot of space. UPS and FedEx are not set up for that. Instead, your order ships via LTL freight — which stands for "Less Than Truckload."
Think of it this way: a full truckload would be one massive order filling an entire semi-truck. LTL means your order shares space on a truck with other customers' shipments going in the same direction. It is the standard way large, heavy goods — appliances, furniture, building materials — are shipped across the country.
Your cabinets are bundled together on a pallet — a flat wooden platform — shrink-wrapped and strapped down so everything stays secure during transit. The pallet rides in the back of a large freight trailer from our warehouse to a regional freight terminal, and then on to your area.
What "Curbside Delivery" Means
When the freight truck arrives at your address, the driver's job is to get the pallet off the truck and onto the ground at the curb in front of your home. That is it. They lower it down using a liftgate (more on that below) and the delivery is complete.
The driver is not required — and generally will not — carry boxes inside your home, up your driveway, into a garage, or up any steps. Curbside means the curb.
Plan ahead: you will need to move the boxes from the curb to wherever you are storing them. Have help available on delivery day.
Shipping Rates Depend on Where You Are
Freight costs are calculated based on two things: distance from our warehouse and the size of your order. A customer in the next state over pays less to ship than someone across the country — that is just how freight works.
NY, NJ, PA, FL, GA, NC, VA, and nearby states
IL, OH, TX, TN, MO, MN, and the middle of the country
CA, OR, WA, AZ, NV, CO, and the Mountain West
Transit times are estimates from the ship date and do not include order processing time (typically 1–2 business days). We ship to all 48 contiguous states.
The More You Order, the More We Help with Freight
Freight is a real cost — the carrier charges us based on weight, size, and distance. We pass those costs along honestly, but we also want to reward customers who are ordering a full kitchen or a significant project.
Larger orders earn shipping credits that are applied automatically at checkout to reduce your freight charges. You will see the credit reflected in your order total before you pay. The bigger your order, the more credit you receive.
Why Credits Instead of a Simple Policy?
Freight pricing is complicated. A 200-pound pallet going 500 miles costs meaningfully different than a 600-pound pallet going 2,000 miles. A blanket policy would mean either overcharging customers who are close by or losing money on customers across the country.
Instead, the cart calculates your actual freight cost and then applies a credit based on your order size. This way you always see a real number — no surprises when the order ships.
Your freight credit will show as a line item in your cart before you check out.
About Delivery Surcharges
There are two surcharges you may see on your order. They are not hidden fees — they are real charges the freight carrier adds for specific services, and we want to explain them clearly so nothing catches you off guard.
Residential Delivery Surcharge
Applied when delivering to a home address
Freight carriers build their networks around commercial deliveries — warehouses, businesses, and job sites with loading docks and forklifts. When a truck has to leave its normal route to navigate a residential neighborhood, make multiple turns on narrow streets, and deal with potential truck access issues, the carrier charges extra for that.
If you are having cabinets delivered to your home, you will likely see this surcharge. It is not us adding a fee — it is the freight carrier's standard rate for residential stops.
Liftgate Service
Required for most home deliveries
The floor of a freight trailer sits about four feet off the ground. Businesses that receive freight regularly have a loading dock — a raised platform that matches the truck's floor height so pallets can roll right off. Most driveways do not have loading docks.
A liftgate is a hydraulic platform on the back of the truck that lowers the pallet from the trailer floor to the ground. Most home deliveries need one because — as we like to put it — you probably do not have a loading dock in your driveway.
The freight carrier charges for this service. We include it in your order when your delivery address requires it.
What to Expect on Delivery Day
Here is how a freight delivery actually goes, start to finish, so there are no surprises.
The freight carrier will call you to schedule
Once your order arrives at the regional freight terminal near you, the carrier will call the phone number on your order to set up a delivery appointment. They will give you a day and a time window — usually a four-hour range. Make sure your contact number is correct at checkout and pick up the phone when they call.
A full-size freight truck will arrive
This is a large semi-truck or a straight truck — not a UPS van. When you checked out, you answered whether a full-size truck can access your delivery address. If there are tight turns, low-hanging trees, or a narrow private road, let us know in advance so we can make arrangements. If the truck cannot reach your address, the carrier may have to deliver to a nearby accessible point and you will need to handle the rest.
The driver lowers the pallet to the curb
The driver will use the liftgate to lower your pallet from the truck to the ground at or near the curb in front of your home. Once it is on the ground, the delivery is technically complete. The driver is not required to move the pallet further, break it down, or carry boxes inside.
You move the boxes from the curb into your home
Cabinet boxes are heavy — a single base cabinet box can weigh 60–90 pounds. This is not a one-person job. Plan to have at least two people available on delivery day to help move boxes off the pallet and into your home or garage. A hand truck or appliance dolly makes this much easier.
Have at least two people available on delivery day.
Cabinet boxes are too heavy to move safely by yourself. Line up a helper before your delivery is scheduled.
Delivery Day Checklist
Do these things before you sign anything. Damage that is not noted at delivery is much harder to resolve after the truck drives away.
Count every box before signing the delivery receipt
Your order confirmation shows how many boxes to expect. Make sure the number matches before the driver leaves.
Note any visible damage on the delivery receipt before signing
This is the most important step. If you see a crushed corner, torn shrink wrap, or a box that looks like it got dropped, write it on the receipt. Be specific: "1 box crushed on corner," not just "possible damage." Signing without noting damage makes it very difficult to file a claim later.
Take photos of any damage immediately
Photograph damaged boxes, the pallet, and the delivery receipt showing your notes. Do this while the driver is still there if possible. Send these photos to us through your account dashboard when you report the damage.
Do not refuse the delivery
Even if some boxes are damaged, accept the shipment. Refusing the delivery sends everything back and significantly delays your project. Accept it, note the damage, take photos, and let us sort it out. Most damage claims are straightforward when properly documented at delivery.
Report any damage through your account dashboard
Log in to your account, go to your order, and submit a damage report. Include your photos and a description of what was noted on the delivery receipt. The sooner you report it, the faster we can get replacement pieces on their way to you.
Questions About Shipping?
If something on this page was not clear, or if you have a specific question about your order or delivery address, we are happy to help before you check out.